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Instructor Development: “Duplicating Greatness”By: Chris Millares Great martial arts instructors have an uncanny ability to take students and lead them to soaring heights. When teaching any given class, they raise the bar of excellence with excitement, structure, organization and power lesson planning. These great instructors are the positive believers and passionate motivators for hundreds and thousands of martial arts students. Realizing individual greatness in teaching is only half of the battle, however. As the industry continues to grow with more students taking advantage of all that the martial arts has to offer, the demand for great instructors will increase exponentially. School owners who are committed to success and have a strong curriculum are witnessing this demand in motion as active student counts continue to rise. In addition, modern marketing, power selling techniques and innovative software systems such as MAS are pushing the martial arts into the limelight more than ever. With these forces in place, it is imperative to invest in the most valuable resource on the planet: people. Pass on the motivation and drive that you experience every time you step on the mat and teach a karate class. Instill your power communication techniques in other motivated instructors who want to be a part of the big picture. Duplicate greatness and watch your school explode to the top of the industry. The popular phrase, “if I want something done right I am going to have to do it myself” is one of the past. Step into modern times and duplicate yourself in your students and instructors. The following concepts will help you duplicate greatness in your instructors: Share the vision and set realistic goals: “What is the big picture?” “What will be my role in realizing the big picture?” “How should I train, practice and study in order to get to where I need to be?” These are all questions that your dedicated instructors will have. Share your vision for success with them and set realistic goals with realistic time frames. Encourage your instructors to express their passion for the martial arts in every aspect of their life. Paint the picture of success in a way that is clear, concise and attainable. The following exercise is great for sharing the vision with your instructors. Each week, input 5 tasks in your MAS software program. Once each instructor has successfully completed every task in his/ her list, review how each task brings the team closer to realizing the big picture. Your notes may look something like this:
“Every time we complete these tasks with clarity, excitement, consistency and determination, we take a step toward doubling, tripling, quadrupling our enrollment each month. In addition, we increase customer loyalty in an exponential fashion.” Lead from the trenches: “Be the teacher that you want your instructors to become.” “Lead by example.” “Show! Don’t tell!” We have all heard these catch phrases in one way, shape or form in the martial arts industry. These phrases are not only true but provide a necessary action step toward duplicating greatness in your instructors. Set the example for your instructors by teaching amazing classes every time you step on the mat. Demonstrate your passion for the martial arts in your presentation, classroom drills and curriculum application. Set the stage of excellence for your instructors in everything that you do. Encourage them to take notes and write down questions. At the end of the day, review your instructor’s notes and answer any questions that they might have. Stress the importance of knowledge, teamwork and continuous learning. Provide feedback: Imagine getting into your car, turning the key, stepping on the gas and driving without your hands on the steering wheel. Imagine how hard it would be to reach your destination or even drive in the right direction. Imagine the chaos that would occur and the potential for harm that would be present. “Feedback is the steering wheel for driving instructors in the right direction.” Without feedback, your instructors will eventually crash and burn. Provide positive feedback for your instructors on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Be a motivator and become a constant educator. Teach your staff to learn from their mistakes and use them as fuel for the future. Encourage the shortcomings of yesterday as the gems of tomorrow. “How am I doing?” “Am I improving?” “How do I improve?” “What are the best ways to keep the students from fooling around in class?” “What is the best way to teach a punch to the tots class?” Answer these questions for your instructors and reap the rewards of their progress. Hold high expectations: The only limits that exist in life are the limits that we create as human beings. No matter what field of study or endeavor you choose, limited expectations will create limited people and limited outcomes. For example, imagine that you are the coach of a high school basketball team. As the coach, you implement a limited level expectation. At team practices you say things like, “Let’s practice so we don’t look like fools at the game next week” or “that’s good enough for today.” During scrimmage you compliment mediocrity by allowing players to walk through the motions and give up after missing an easy lay up. While your star player is on his a cell phone laughing at the antics on the line, you think about the next chance you’ll have to go to the beach. Imagine how your team would perform on game night each week. On the other hand, imagine setting an expectation of excellence day in day out. Imagine sweat pouring down the side of your face as you instill a great level of determination in your players. Imagine feeding them constant motivation during their skills training. Imagine saying things like “All it takes is all you’ve got,” “Expect the best and a accept nothing but your best” or “I believe in you and your potential as players.” Finally, imagine the response of your players after they win their first game. Turn imagination into reality with your instructors by setting and keeping a high level of expectation. Challenge them frequent and often with advanced concepts on classroom management and modern martial arts education literature. Set high standards of performance and motivate them to continue learning. Share the vision, lead from the trenches, provide feedback, hold high expectations and watch greatness duplicate in your instructors! Want MORE hits on your website? By: Chris Millares |
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